Signature campaign in Kolkata to protect tamarind tree planted by revolutionary 70 years ago

A signature campaign is going on to save a massive tamarind tree in a south Kolkata neighbourhood, something that residents and activists fear might be brought down if the administration does not specifically mark it as protected.

The tree is important not just because it is a living landmark, serving as a home to numerous varieties of birds, but also because it was planted by freedom fighter Parul Mukherjee about 70 years ago. She was a revolutionary who in 1935, when she was only 20, was convicted in the Titagarh conspiracy case and spent four years in jail. After Independence and Partition, she moved to Calcutta to a refugee settlement that was subsequently named Vidyasagar Colony, where she died in 1990.

Only recently a documentary made on the tree, Friends of Jilipibala, was selected for world premiere in the National Competition on Documentary category at the Kolkata International Film Festival. “I have been documenting this tamarind tree for 12 years and have witnessed the amazing biodiversity it supports. This tree is currently on public land, but despite our petitions and letters to all kinds of government officials for more than a year, there is still no indication of its protected status. We are urging the Kolkata Municipal Corporation once again to save this icon of urban biodiversity,” filmmaker Debalina Majumder, who lives in the neighbourhood and who made the 30-minute documentary, told The Hindu.

A movement to save the tree was started in July 2024 after builders took over the property where the freedom fighter lived and when it seemed the tree would be taken down anytime. Various activities were held at the spot — concerts, storytelling bird-watching — to draw attention to its vulnerability. The boundary wall of the house was then restructured to place the tree on Kolkata Municipal Corporation land.

But fears about its future returned last month when another tree in the neighbourhood, which also stood on public land, was cut down, to facilitate the replacement of a lamppost next to it. That was the reason the signature campaign was started last week on Christmas Day.

“This tree stands on public road, but the area adjoining is being redeveloped, placing it at risk of being felled. Keeping in mind the immense contribution of revolutionary Parul Mukherjee to the independence of India, and to this colony, and to protect and preserve the biodiversity, we are writing this petition,” said the document for which signatures are being collected.

Residents and activists want the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to issue a protective order to ensure that the tamarind tree is not removed, damaged, or cut down, create a monument to Parul Mukherjee near the tree, and install an informational signage at the site detailing its historical significance contribution to local biodiversity and community identity.

“This tree is not merely a botanical specimen — it is a symbol of resilience, shared history, and ecological harmony. Its preservation would reflect Kolkata’s commitment to honouring its past while fostering sustainable urban living,” said the petition, signed so far by nearly 450 people physically and 3,200 online.